Posted this at another Yankee website under the title:
“You know, this could actually get crazier…and worse, instead of better…”

“Put yourselves in A-Rod’s shoes for a minute.

1. You’re facing a ban of 211 games, and the loss of roughly $30 million.
2. You think your team and the commisioner are conspiring to keep you from playing, and to suspend/get rid of you forever, costing you a spit-ton of money.
3. You can retire at full pay before the suspension can take effect, if a) you can get back onto the field, and b) demonstrate you’re physically incapable of playing anymore.
4. Your team is hanging on the edge of falling out of the playoff chase altogether.

Now, you appeal the suspension, and you can play.
Again, if you’re A-Rod, do you:

I) Play your guts out, helping keep the Yankees in contention, sell tickets down the stretch, making extra money for the people you think are trying to screw you blind, possibly getting them into the playoffs, and making them still more millions, or

II) Do you tank it, screwing management out of contention and millions of dollars, getting even with the people you think are screwing you blind, and oh, by the way, setting up your retirement at full pay before the suspension can take $30 million from you by demonstrating you’re too injured to play, leaving the Yankees no legal recourse to recover the money lost because they didn’t contend/make the playoffs, because they’ll never be able to prove you tanked it?

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Maybe A-Rod’s ego is too big to do this, but I’ll bet it’s awfully tempting. Would he do this?
Heck if I know…